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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Grievance Committee

  • AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for the newly announced supplemental ditching training; discussions with management just started.
  • Many management decision-makers are away at contract negotiations, delaying progress toward any sort of agreement.
  • Our AFA Committees are committed to advocating for your rights and will address unresolved issues through the contractual grievance process if necessary.

AFA Representatives have recently been receiving a lot of questions about the supplemental ditching training announced by management. We want to make it clear that AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for this training. Management just began substantive discussions yesterday with our Grievance, Scheduling, Inflight Training, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committees to work out the administrative and logistical details of the training, but those details are still undetermined. Progress has been slow because many of the primary management decision-makers are currently involved in contract negotiations in Washington, DC, this week and are unavailable to discuss the supplemental ditching training issues.

While the situation is not ideal, we must meet the regulatory training requirements and address the remaining details later. We don’t yet know what management intends to propose, nor do we know if we can successfully reach an agreement on which contractual provisions AFA believes apply. If we can’t agree, it may come down to addressing the unresolved provisions (particularly contract sections 30.C.3-5) through the contractual grievance process and arbitration afterward, which can be time-consuming.  

We have clearly communicated your concerns to management and have asked them to provide responses to numerous unanswered questions. Our AFA Committees are actively advocating for your contractual rights. We are dedicated to fighting for those rights, even if it takes time, rather than providing an instant fix.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • The MEC was supposed to meet with executive management and union leaders from other company workgroups but chose to skip the meeting in support of our Negotiating Committee.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, and Wednesday, July 10.

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) held its regular meeting for June 2024 on Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18. These meetings, required under the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, provide an important opportunity for the MEC to discuss and address issues and concerns affecting our Union and Members at the airline level. Your directly elected LEC President (or their designee) attends these meetings as your representative and votes on your behalf when decisions need to be made.

During the meeting, the MEC received updates from the MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, and Grievance Committee. Additionally, the MEC reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons detailing their current work and activities.

Meeting with Management

This month, our MEC was supposed to meet with company executive management and Union leaders from the other union-represented workgroups within the company. These meetings generally occur once every quarter to receive management updates and discuss issues and concerns faced by all employees. However, since we are entering another summer without a tentative agreement and in solidarity with our Negotiating Committee, the MEC decided to send a strong message by skipping the meeting.

Our absence spoke volumes: We won’t wait any longer for the contract we deserve. We stand firmly with our Negotiating Committee in their efforts to negotiate a deal that works for all Alaska Flight Attendants. If management doesn’t step up, we’re prepared to take the necessary actions under the Railway Labor Act.

Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action Debrief

Our MEC reviewed and discussed last week’s Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action informational picketing events. Alaska Flight Attendants from all six bases (including the SNA and ONT co-terminals) and several other airports nationwide participated in the events. These picketing events, along with our other awareness-building efforts and the strong support from Flight Attendants across the industry, are helping to bring more public attention to our collective contract fights. You can read more about the Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action by clicking here.

MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson Interviews

During the meeting, our MEC interviewed candidates for the MEC Employee Assistance Program (EAP) / Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson position that was previously posted in April. The MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson works in collaboration with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to assist Members, their families, and partners with personal and work-related issues that may impact their health and well-being. Our MEC would like to thank all the candidates who applied and interviewed for the position.

After thorough consideration, Rex Hampton has been appointed to the position by the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents). Rex’s term will begin immediately and end on December 31, 2025.

System Board of Adjustment Interviews

Our MEC spent part of the meeting interviewing candidates for the System Board of Adjustment position that was previously posted in April. Members of the System Board of Adjustment are responsible for arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants. Our MEC would like to thank all the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.

After extensive discussion and thorough consideration, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) have re-appointed Sandra Morrow to the position. Sandra’s term of appointment will begin on July 1, 2024, and conclude on June 30, 2026.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

Scheduling Committee

  • Flight Attendants are facing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping, causing stress and frustration.
  • Management plans to resolve these issues with server upgrades in June and July and will monitor the system closely during July Open Time.
  • Our Scheduling Committee has requested a meeting with management to discuss long-term solutions for the ongoing Crew Access challenges.

Recently, many Flight Attendants have been experiencing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping. These problems have been causing growing frustration and stress, both professionally and personally. Our Scheduling Committee acknowledges the significant impact and is committed to finding effective solutions while holding management accountable for maintaining systems that operate effectively and reliably.

Management has acknowledged the problems and expressed their commitment to tackling them head-on. As a first step, the JCTE servers are scheduled to undergo an upgrade. New firmware is set to be installed by June 24, followed by upgraded hardware by July 10, or possibly sooner. These enhancements are anticipated to enhance performance and overall system capacity significantly.

To ensure proactive oversight, the Information Technology Services (ITS) team will work closely with Jeppesen to monitor the JCTE platform during the upcoming Flight Attendant Open Time on July 16. This initiative is a step towards resolving the current issues and improving the operational experience for all Flight Attendants.

Furthermore, we expect management to deliver thorough and detailed updates on the measures taken to resolve the server load issues. Clear communication and a comprehensive breakdown of the implemented solutions and improvements are essential to ensure transparency. This will help our Scheduling Committee monitor progress and provide Flight Attendants with accurate, up-to-date information.

To address the more extensive and systemic ongoing challenges with Crew Access, our Scheduling Committee has formally requested a meeting with management to discuss the issues further. This meeting is a critical opportunity for dialogue and exploring concrete solutions to ensure an uninterrupted and contractually compliant experience for Flight Attendants.

Our Scheduling Committee is fully dedicated to actively addressing JCTE-related issues in order to restore operational normalcy and alleviate the challenges faced by Flight Attendants. We appreciate your continued patience and support throughout this process. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

Inflight Service Committee

Happy New Year from your Inflight Service Committee. 

This is the time of year to start thinking about the spring and summer months. The lead time required to make catering changes is typically 3 to 6 months. If you are currently flying a particular city pair and you regularly have product shortages such as Bloody Mary mix, Irish Cream, ginger ale, etc… now is the time to be reporting these shortages using B2B. The more reports that are submitted the more likely we will see changes. 

Membership Committee 

Over the past several months, the company has offered various staffing adjustment leaves.

Staffing adjustment leaves are unpaid leaves. Dues are owed for the first 90 days of an unpaid leave. Union dues are taken out of your 20th paycheck each month; missed dues deductions will need to be paid directly to AFA.

For example, if you took a staffing adjustment leave in October, you will likely owe November dues because your November 20th paycheck did not have enough money to deduct union dues.

If you are on unpaid leave and past your 90 days, you will be considered inactive. If you remain inactive, payroll will usually turn off your auto-deduction. Once you have returned to active  status, your auto-deduction should be turned back on. On occasion, corporate payroll has missed turning back on some auto-deductions. It is important that you check that your auto deduction is turned back on; otherwise, you might be accruing a dues balance after returning from an unpaid leave. You can monitor your deductions by looking at your monthly 20th paycheck pay statement in the after-tax deduction column titled union dues. If you find that dues aren’t being taken out of your paycheck please contact adam.clarey@afaalaska.org.

When returning from unpaid leave, there is a good chance you will owe union dues your first month back because there is not enough money on your 20th paycheck.

For those on paid leave (coordinating vacation and/or sick leave), you will owe dues each month.  Depending on how much you are coordinating and your other deductions, you might not have enough money on your 20th paycheck to cover union dues. You would need to pay AFA directly if there is not enough money on your 20th paycheck to cover union dues.

Online Payment

https://unionly.io/o/afacwa/dues

Payment Options

https://www.afacwa.org/payment_options

If you have questions, you can reach out to our Membership Chair and Council Secretary, Adam Clarey at adam.clarey@afaalaska.org.

Mobilization Committee

Your mobilization committee continues our work to mobilize our membership and support our negotiating committee. 

Our Picket event on Dec. 19 had almost 400 participants, and was paired with our Strike Vote Announcement. Strike Voting is now open, and ballots were sent on January. 3rd. Remember to vote by Feb. 13th. I recommend voting as soon as you get your ballot. It only takes a few minutes. 

Lastly, save the date for our Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action on Feb. 13. We will be picketing with Flight Attendants around the world as we collectively fight for fair and equitable contracts. More information to come on this.

We’re always looking for more Mobilization Volunteers. If you’re interested, sign up at https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/mobilization/volunteer/signup/

Personal Message from our Mobilization Chair:

I have been so proud and grateful to serve you as your Seattle Mobilization chair, and Vice Chair of the reserve committee. I will be transferring to SFO in the February bid month, so I need to step down from my roles within Council 19, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve our membership in SEA. I will continue to work with our newly appointed mobilization vice chair, Andrew Stinson until a replacement is found. If you are interested in the Mobilization Chair position, submit your resume to sea@afaalaska.org by Feb. 1 at 5 pm. Interviews will be held in March. I want to thank all of you for the amazing support I have received, and I look forward to finding more ways to serve our membership in SFO, and beyond. Please remember to vote, and remain active in our union. – Ian Haywood

Reserve Committee

With the holiday season behind us and staffing normalizing personal drops are being awarded at higher levels. Be aware that crew scheduling may call a reserve during their reserve availability period regarding a personal drop. In the past reserves have received no shows and unavailable for contact(s) for missing phone calls related to personal drops during their RAPs.

The holidays were busy and your local reserve committee received reports of over duty periods, cancellations and other operational issues which impacted reserve flights attendants. If something happened to you on a recent trip that you want your local reserve committee to look into further then please file a ticket at afaalaska.org and we will look into it.

Crew Access has been a source of many issues for reserve FAs lately. There is a particular issue we want reserve FAs to be aware of. When adding reserve days to an existing block that are the same reserve classification (i.e. AM/PM) they should retain their reserve classification (section 11.H.4). There is a known crew access issue which is incorrectly converting days to ER when adding days to existing blocks that span between bid periods. For example, you have an existing AM reserve block December 30-31 and you add 2 AM reserve days January 1-2 they should retain their AM classification. Crew Access will incorrectly convert days to ER and if this happens to you then please call crew scheduling and they will fix it. You may need to reference the crew access known issues list and/or ask to speak to a MOD. 

Fly safe and see you out there!

Scheduling Committee

FEBRUARY MONTH REMINDER :

Section 5 of the contract defines Month.  As a reminder it’s important to note for bidding and trading purposes January 31 and March 01 are added to February to create a 30 day period. 

FEBRUARY PBS BASE SITS

We will be conducting PBS Base Sits in SEA NSAT Village.  Visit us in person or online for PBS bidding assistance.  

  • Feb 6 and 8 SEA NSAT Village  6 am – 7 pm
  • Virtual Sits February 8 and 9  –  More information will be available on the NavBlue INFO page. 

SCHEDULING FLOWCHARTS

The Scheduling Committee has compiled Flowcharts to assist in helping navigate scheduling issues when flying. They can be found  on the AFA Website under Committees > Scheduling > Tools and Resources. 

Uniform Committee

If you were eligible for the new uniform allotment, you should have received it by now. Our next quarterly uniform meeting will be held on February 22, 2024.

Please continue to report any quality issues for garments to alaskaservice@unisyncgroup.com. It is helpful to include photos of defects and of the tag inside.

In Solidarity, 

Your Council 19 Committee Chairs and Officers

  • Alaska & Hawaiian Airlines Merger
  • December Solidarity Event Recap
  • Membership Meeting Recap
  • Spotlight on the Contract
  • Fact or Fiction
  • CBT Reminder
  • AFA International HRE Committee
  • Membership Dues
  • Workplace Wellness
  • Social Media

Alaska & Hawaiian Airlines Merger

Historic news of the Alaska-Hawaiian merger has left many with questions.  We encourage all to stay abreast with factual information from our MEC, with items pertaining to a unionized workforce. Here is the last and latest from our MEC: https://afaalaska.org/mec/alaska-hawaiian-announce-merger-what-flight-attendants-need-to-know

The days ahead will be a journey for all, as we welcome our fellow AFA Hawaiian Flight Attendants into one strong united workforce, with compassion and open arms. 

December Solidarity Recap

We would like to take this opportunity and thank everyone who attended our Solidarity event on December 19th. It was a resounding success with almost 400 Flight Attendants present!

We realize that you have a lot of questions in regards to negotiations and our strike authorization vote. We ask that you continue to watch for communications from AFA for the most up to date information. More will come soon!

Save the Date:

In an unprecedented show of solidarity, we are locking arms with our fellow Flight Attendant unions (AFA, APFA and TWU) across the country for a #OneCrew Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action! Scheduled to coincide with the conclusion of our Strike Authorization Vote, you don’t want to miss this on February 13th as we demand our respective airlines to show the love and that we are ready to fight for the contract we have earned. Plan to bid the day off and stay tuned for more information.

Council 19 Membership Meeting Recap

Thanks to those who were able to attend our Membership meeting following the Solidarity event. A special thank you to MEC President, Jeff Peterson for speaking and giving us a great overview of negotiations, and what the strike authorization vote means. 

Spotlight On the Contract

On rare occasion, our company provided hotel transportation may be running late. If so, please familiarize with the following contractual provision for timelines and reimbursement if needing an alternate source of transport (Section 22.B)

TRANSPORTATION

Company will provide dependable transportation from the airport to layover point and return. When transportation is not provided within thirty-five minutes (:35) from block-in or within ten minutes (:10) of the scheduled departure time from the hotel, Flight Attendants will be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred for transportation to or from the airport. 

It is important to reach out to your AFA Representative if you have questions about the above language, as there are areas that can be confusing and “gray”. 

Fact or Fiction

Have you heard of rumors and not sure of the truth? We’re going to be featuring a new running segment in our SEA base newsletter. Please send in your questions to sea.communications.chair@afaalaska.org  and your fact or fiction question could potentially be featured here. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note that we may not legally be able to address all of the questions we have come in, but we will do our best!

CBT Reminder

Do not forget to complete your CBT (Annual Compliance Training) by the end of the year deadline. It is important to remember if you do not complete the required training, the discipline is progressive. If you are already in steps of discipline, failure to complete your CBT will move you up the steps, up to and including discharge. If you encounter any technical issues, please contact the ITS Help desk. To verify your CBT is complete, check that your Cornerstone transcript lists under “Completed” and check your email for a confirmation. 

AFA International HRE Committee

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all work together we can tear down the walls of division and create a progressive culture that values social & economic justice for all working people. 

Membership Dues

In addition to the upcoming strike authorization vote, we will be planning solidarity events in the new year, so it is important to make sure that you are up to date on your membership dues, as you are required to be current in order to take part. Also, please remember that when a tentative agreement is reached with the company, you must be up to date in order to vote! If you have questions about your dues status, please reach out to our LEC Secretary, Adam Clarey at adam.clarey@afaalaska.org. 

There is a great article on the AFA Website, “Dues & Voting: What You Need To Know To Make Sure You Can Vote”. We suggest taking a look at that for some helpful information. 

LEC Secretary Adam Clarey and Council Representative Jerry Sinclair will be doing a base sit at SEA on January 2nd and January 4th from 10am-6pm. They would be happy to help you understand all things membership related including your standing, how to update your contact info with AFA, and confirm that you are current on your dues.

Workplace Wellness

Yoga for Health

Yoga is a great tool to help us stretch, release and relax. Here’s one easy pose you can do in a hotel room to help release any tension in the back, shoulders and neck.  Please be mindful of any limitations. 

Supine twist (Jathara Parivartanasana) 

  • Turn onto your back. Lie flat. Bring your arms out wide. 
  • Let your palms face down. Bend your right knee. 
  • Drop your right knee gently over to the left side of your body. At this point you’ll feel a gentle twist in your spine. 
  • You can use a pillow to help support your bent leg, or if at home you can utilize a block or bolster. Gaze toward your left arm and fingers. 
  • You may close your eyes, whatever feels comfortable for you. 
  • Hold for several breaths, return to neutral, repeat on the other side. 

Here’s a YouTube video to give a visual with instructions and with some alternative ways to accomplish this restorative pose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRSPMMYOXZI

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up to date information on our Council 19 Facebook Group. Click below to join our group and stay connected. We have also launched a new Council 19 Instagram page, which you will find a link for below as well. Our communication team is researching other social media platforms, more information will come soon!

Our solidarity and resolve to attain an industry leading contract will lead us to new heights. The days may be long, but our resolve never to dwindle, our solidarity never to dim. We simply could not do this without one another; together we achieve, together we enrich all of our lives and to those of tomorrow. Stand strong, stand in solidarity, stand with resolve. Here are to bright tomorrows…

We hope each and every one of you were able to enjoy the holiday season, whether flying or home. All of us at Council 19 wish you, your family, your friends, and your loved ones a Very Happy Holiday Season, and a Happy New Year!

In Solidarity,

Your Council 19 Officers and Committees


ASHSC Committee

October and November were very busy for the Seattle ASHSC. We have continued our body of work representing members safety concerns and working with the company to continue our focus on safety.

The LOSA program resumed observations in November and the data is being analyzed to determine trends and areas where we can improve safety.

The Base Safety Meeting was held on November 30, 2023. We addressed a number of issues submitted by our workgroup and they have been assigned to Alaska leadership for follow-up. We will continue to bring safety issues forward and get them addressed by the company. We also had Jon Sites, the Director of Flight Operations Safety in attendance to provide us with information on firm/hard landings and how the data from each landing is recorded and analyzed.

Now that we are well into the holiday season, with more flights, shorter routes, and the potential for irregular operations it’s important to get sleep and watch out for signs of fatigue. What is fatigue? It is a complex state that is characterized by a lack of alertness. The main contributors come from three specific areas: 1) Human biology – sleep, our body clock, health, age, etc.; 2) Job demands- workload, shift length, schedule; 3) Life outside work- family/friend obligations, commuting, lifestyle. Sleep is the solution to fatigue and unfortunately it is not something we can store up in advance. Once we are in situations where we are fatigued we need to get sleep to restore our alertness and judgment. The United SteelWorkers (USW) have worked on fatigue issues due to the long shifts that their workers encounter. The USW data shows that fatigue causes impairment that impacts performance: after 17 hours without sleep the brain function is similar to having a BAC of .05% and after 24 hours without sleep this jumps to .10%. While this data is specific to the workgroups represented by USW, it can help us raise our awareness of the issues and make sure we are aware of our fatigue management process and the protections we have in our CBA.

Benefits Committee

These past couple months have been busy for the Benefits/Retirement SEA Committees.  

The company offered Staffing Leaves for October & November. Anytime a leave is offered, there are challenges for Flight Attendants that do not verify their Benefits when they return from the leave. To further complicate that process, the November staffing leaves overlapped Annual Enrollment. As a result, many FA calls were answered explaining the process & in many cases coverages needed to be manually updated by our Corporate Benefits Team. 

During this year’s 2024 Benefits Annual Enrollment, there were 5 base sits. As our Village area is often found with many flight attendants from other bases, we had the opportunity to help many that were not SEA Based. 

We also transitioned from Vanguard to Fidelity this quarter. The transition was well communicated and very few problems were reported. There was also a zoom meeting with the Retirement & Fidelity Team that Terry Taylor our MEC/ Benefits & Retirement was able to attend. 

As a reminder all Flight Attendants should double check their Beneficiaries for Fidelity on the Fidelity website as well for their Company provided and Supplemental Life Insurance and AD&D through the benefits portal. 

Communications Committee

Your Communications Committee members are striving to bring you informative communications via social media and our newsletters. 

If you have any suggestions or requests, please reach out to: sea.communications.chair@afaalaska.org.

EAP Committee

The holiday season is a time when many people are traveling to see family and friends, which can lead to increased stress and anxiety for both passengers and flight attendants. This additional demand, combined with the typical holiday stressors, has led to an increase in requests for counseling services.

Flight attendants often have irregular and demanding work schedules, including working during weekends, holidays, and overnight flights. This disrupts their sleep patterns and can lead to fatigue, which further contributes to the stress they experience

Flight attendants face a wide range of factors that impact their workplace, such as jet lag, solitary hotel living, and dealing with passengers who refuse to comply with safety protocols. These stressors can make individuals more vulnerable to mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression, which are, themselves, triggers for alcohol and drug use/misuse.

Michaela has committed to providing an in-flight counselor again in 2024. Our current counselor Joan Benner will be retiring at the end of the year and has recommended a colleague she thinks the f/a’s will enjoy talking with. The f/a crews can access appointments confidentially through Talia the same way and will be offered dates on the in-flight bulletin page, same as before

During the transition to the new EAP provider in 2024 (Lyra Health) Anyone that is working with a counselor from our current vendor Active Support will be able to continue with the 6 sessions until completed. ComPsych will then refer them to Lyra and/or the medical plan to ensure that they are being treated after the 6 sessions have been utilized. Lyra will be offering 10 free counseling sessions and has its own network of counselors with excellent credentials, and flight attendants will be provided with a dedicated case manager/point of contact.

Employee Assistance Program & Professional Standards Committee

eap@afaalaska.org

949-470-0493 EAP mainline

Hotel Committee

Your hotel committee continues to advocate for the best hotels possible, while maintaining the language in our CBA.

Please remember to continue to send the reports for both complaints and compliments. These reports are essential when we are evaluating markets. The Crew Care reports can be accessed directly on your IMD by clicking the API Icon, or on the Inflight Website, Hotels, Hotel Links, MyCrew Care.

We are wrapping up our site inspections for the year. In the last couple of months, we completed inspections in NAS, GUA, ZIH, IAH, BNA and MSY. Our committee has been busy doing site inspections the last couple of months. Members of the committee have recently conducted inspections in CUN, BWI, DEN, SJC, ONT, EWR & PIT.  Upcoming inspections include NAS, RDU, GUA, ZIH, IAH, and BNA.

Just because we are conducting inspections, it does not mean we are leaving a hotel. It is simply because we need to source a market. This is why it is so important to continue to write up hotels you like or dislike. Please remember, in some instances, even if a hotel is popular among Flight Attendants, it does not mean we will stay there. We could be leaving because of contractual violations, another work group, or a multitude of reasons. 

The company has recently announced new hotels in NAS, GUA, CUN, and BWI. For safety and security reasons, we won’t list the hotel names here, so please review the Hotel Hotline, or the bid packet. 

Our only current scheduled site inspection so far for 2024 is TUS, but there will be several more!

Human Rights Committee

From Yan Yan Teague:

We are happy to announce that we have found a new LEC Chair for the Human Rights Committee. At the end of the year I will be stepping aside as chair but will remain on the committee to continue to support our work. Starting in the new year, Freddy Vega, will be the new chairperson.

Freddy Vega first took to the skies as a flight attendant in 2005, and has accumulated 18+ years of steadfast service within Alaska Airlines. Armed with a Masters in Public Administration, a Master of Science in Cultural and Organizational Communication, and certificates in Women and Gender Studies and Leadership, his academic accomplishments powered his endeavors beyond the passenger cabin.

Transitioning through diverse professional roles, he simultaneously pursued education while accumulating experience at local Community Colleges like Edmonds College and Shoreline Community College, alongside Eastern Washington University (Go Eags!). His career journey led him through various positions across different workplaces, encompassing roles such as Outreach and Recruitment Specialist, Program Manager, Associate Director, and Event Coordinator/Planner. Finally, his career path culminated in a focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, a pivotal role he held at a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. As the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager, he significantly contributed to fostering an inclusive environment within the organization.

His passionate dedication to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion prompted him to apply for the position of SEA base LEC’s Human Rights Chairperson. Fueled by a profound commitment to racial and social justice, he sees this as an opportunity to be an ally, advocating for human rights within the flight attendant community. In his new role, he aims to foster unity by listening attentively to flight attendants’ needs, collaborating with the LEC and MEC to create an inclusive environment. He seeks to comprehensively understand past endeavors, identify ongoing necessities, and collectively steer efforts to support all flight attendants. On a personal note, his twelve-year marriage to his husband, Ryan Simms, brings him immense joy, and together they relish time with friends and eagerly anticipate future travel adventures, while he remains steadfast in his commitment to driving positive change within Alaska Airlines flight attendant group.

Day of Solidarity

Get ready to unite and stand strong at our Day of Solidarity informational picketing in all six bases and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, December 19! Our support is crucial to demonstrate to management and the public that we firmly stand behind our Negotiating Committee in their efforts to secure the contractual improvements that we have earned and rightfully deserve.

Date: Dec 19, 2023

Time: 12:30PM – 2:00PM

Location: Seattle Tacoma International Airport Flag Pavilion

We realize the weather may not cooperate, so we will have a warming station across the street. Details to come. 

We will also be holding a council meeting on this day as well, so be on the lookout for a communication with this information.

In Solidarity, 

Your Council 19 Committee Chairs and Officers

In This Edition

Negotiation Session 22

Originally posted June 13, 2024

Next week, we take our fight to Washington, DC! Our Negotiating Committee will fly to Washington, DC for our 5th mediation session. Typically, when negotiations get to final stages, the NMB will want to meet with the parties before progressing to any next steps under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Convening mediation in DC continues the process toward a tentative agreement Flight Attendants can ratify. We said, “We Won’t Wait,” and we mean it! Today, we are kicking off this Red Hot Solidarity Summer with the second Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action, to show we are more united than ever!

Read More >

Our Day Of Action Sends A Clear Message To Management: We Won’t Wait!

Originally posted June 14, 2024

What a day yesterday was! We all came together yet again – thousands of Flight Attendants from across the industry showing strength and unity on an unprecedented scale. We made it crystal clear that we refuse to be undervalued any longer. Our voices were strong and unwavering, sending a powerful message to management across the industry that we are determined to secure the contracts and improvements we rightfully deserve.

Read More >

Shared on Social

Our Day of Action Is Tomorrow!

Originally posted June 12, 2024 – for reference only

Join us on the picket line tomorrow as Flight Attendants worldwide are standing strong against corporate greed. Together, 80,000 flight attendants are uniting in a historic fight against airline management to demand respect for aviation’s first responders.

Flight Attendants cannot afford to wait any longer for these agreements and neither can the airlines. While airlines have boasted record passenger numbers and revenue, contract negotiations for Flight Attendants have been ongoing for years! Tell airline management, it’s time to get this done, NOW!

June 13 Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action – Day of Event Information

Originally posted June 13, 2024 – for reference only

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants won’t wait for the contract we are due. And we’re taking our fight to the picket line to show management we’ll do whatever it takes! 🪧📢💪

Today is our Day of Action, and Flight Attendants from across the industry are coming together for informational picketing events at over 30 airports worldwide. Dive into this post for all the important details, including meeting points, times, and contact information for Alaska bases. Swipe through to learn more about the virtual picket and grab resources to join in.

Still have questions or need more info? Hop over to the Day of Action event page at https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/june-13-action/ to get all the answers you need. Let’s come together and make our voices heard – we’ve got this!

June 13 Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action Recap

Today was an incredible day of solidarity at SNA and over 30 airports worldwide! Flight Attendants, together with our families, friends, and allies, stood together to make history once again. We raised our voices against corporate greed and demanded the contracts we have rightfully earned. Our collective strength and unwavering unity sent a clear message to management: we won’t wait for what’s rightfully ours. We demonstrated the incredible force of our collective power and showed that we will do whatever it takes to secure our careers and our futures!

See The Post From: ANC | LAX | ONT | PDX | SAN | SEA | SFO | SNA

Next Week’s Events

Monday, June 17 – Tuesday, June 18Regular MEC Meeting
Tuesday, June 18 – Thursday, June 20Contract Negotiations (Mediation)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

In This Edition

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

Originally posted June 1, 2024

June 1 marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. The tradition recognizes the events of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a watershed moment in the LGBTQ rights movement. You can use the resource links below to explore more about LGBTQ Pride Month, delve into the history of the LGBTQ rights movement, and discover events you can take part in. Join the celebration by wearing an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin during June. Contact your Local Council for more information on obtaining a pin.

Read More >

We Won’t Wait!

Originally posted June 5, 2024

We’ve started another summer flying season without a tentative agreement. Alaska Flight Attendants can’t afford to wait! And we won’t wait for the contract we are due.  

Management has said, “we remain focused on closing existing gaps swiftly to reach an improved agreement you can begin working under as soon as possible.” It’s time to make good on this promise. 

We’re ready to push forward over the next two weeks during our negotiations sessions to reach a tentative agreement that Alaska Flight Attendants can ratify. And if management won’t make the deal, we’re preparing for next steps under the Railway Labor Act. 

Read More >

One Week To Go – Worldwide Day of Action, Thursday, June 13

Originally posted June 6, 2024

Don’t forget to RSVP for our Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action informational picketing events next week on Thursday, June 13. Encourage your family, friends, and other allies to join us on the picket line! As a reminder, Flight Attendants scheduled to work during the events must refrain from participating. If you’re not able to attend in person, you can join our virtual picket using the resources on the contract website.

Read More >

Shared on Social

We Won’t Wait!

We’ve started another summer flying season without a tentative agreement. Alaska Flight Attendants can’t afford to wait! And we won’t wait for the contract we are due. We need your action to back up our Negotiating Committee and push management to get this done.

Get out on the picket line next Thursday, June 13! RSVP here!

Be sure to wear your Red AFA Pin and Contract Now lanyard on every flight. Call your Senators and ask them to sign on to the letter to the NMB for our right to strike. 

See the Post >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, June 11 – Wednesday, June 12Contract Negotiations
Thursday, June 13Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action
Thursday, June 13Quarterly Reserve Committee Meeting
Thursday, June 13Scheduling Review Board (SRB)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Human Rights Committee

  • June 1 marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. The tradition recognizes the events of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a watershed moment in the LGBTQ rights movement. 
  • You can use the resource links below to explore more about LGBTQ Pride Month, delve into the history of the LGBTQ rights movement, and discover events you can take part in.
  • Join the celebration by wearing an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin during June. Contact your Local Council for more information on obtaining a pin.

June 1 marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. This celebration originated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which is recognized as a significant milestone in the LGBTQ civil rights movement. On June 28, 1970, the first Pride March was held in New York City to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Over time, the single-day event eventually grew to an entire month of events and activities.

Learn More About LGBTQ Pride Month

You can learn more about the history of LGBTQ Pride Month and the history of the LGBTQ rights movement through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

Celebrate with an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin

In 2018, the AFA Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution to celebrate June as LGBTQ Pride Month. A special commemorative pin was created for AFA Members to proudly wear to honor throughout June.

If you’re interested in learning more about the pin and its significance, please reach out to your Local Human Rights Committee. Additionally, keep an eye out for communication from your Local Council or get in touch with your LEC Officers to find out how you can get your hands on one of these special pins!

In This Edition

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2024

Originally posted May 28, 2024

Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on May 21 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales. The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard. The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

Read More >

Negotiation Session 21

Originally posted May 31, 2024

This week, we tentatively agreed to Section 10.R-S, which closes out the operational components for Reassignments and Pre-Cancellations. We also presented a comprehensive proposal to management. While the parties are closer together, there is more work to be done. Next month we have a mediation session scheduled, as well as an added negotiation session without the mediator.

Read More >

Shared on Social

Financial State

Alaska Flight Attendants struggle, Alaska management boasts. How can management continue to tout their excellence while knowing 79% of the Financial Survey respondents face financial insecurity due to the airline’s pay rates? Or that 5% were homeless in the last year?? Make it make sense.

Watch Our Reel >

Where’s the CHAOS™?

We have mediation and negotiation sessions scheduled through September at this time. If an impasse in negotiations is reached, our Negotiating Committee is fully prepared to request the release to strike from the National Mediation Board.

Watch Our Reel >

Next Week’s Events

Thursday, June 6Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

The term of office for our current Alaska + Hawaiian Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025. The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the November Regular MEC meeting. This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual. […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with the company on September 11 to review their response to our September 5 proposal.  We feel that it is important to acknowledge the challenges within our company as Alaska management is struggling to understand our Collective Bargaining Agreement […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 11, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

September 15 marks the start of Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month in the United States, a vibrant celebration dedicated to honoring the rich contributions and diverse cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. Spanning a full month, this observance—also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month—has its roots in Hispanic Heritage Week, which was established by legislation signed into law by […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Monday, September 8, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Ila Christy (PDX), Hilary […]

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